another dumb casualty

I’ve long been fascinated with the concept of celebrity as it ties into the American Dream. The life and death of Elvis Presley serves as an ur-text in this regard – a poor kid makes it big, only to be destroyed by the currents stirred up by his own success. Fame and fortune come at a cost.

The idea that the unknown and the poor are intrinsically happier than the rich and famous may be a romantic fallacy, but money’s ability to buy happiness is limited. Some voids cannot be filled via the massive expenditure of cash, no matter what the legions of consultants, personal assistants, advisors, and other types of hangers-on may whisper in one’s ear.

A couple posts back I referred to Sid Vicious’s life as being “the Elvis Presley story as written by Charles Bukowski.” I suppose that would make Anna Nicole Smith’s life the Grace Kelly story as directed by John Waters, a tragic farce of a Cinderella story with equal measures of pathos and absurdity.

I really pity that poor baby she left behind. That kid is going to be part of the largest dynastic struggle since the Lancasters and Yorks threw down in the 15th Century.

INXS – Suicide Blonde (from X, 1990) - This track was supposedly inspired by singer Michael Hutchence’s ex-girlfriend, the talented and lovely Kylie Minogue.

Julie Brown – ‘Cause I’m a Blonde (from the Goddess In Progress EP, 1984) – Two LPs I regret not picking up in the early 90’s salad years of cheap vinyl are the Earth Girls Are Easy OST (which featured this track) and the Bachelor Party OST. I don’t care much for either film, but both featured a lot of interesting and otherwise unavailable songs.

Kim Wilde – Love Blonde (from a 1983 single, collected on The Singles Collection 1981-1993) – From “Kids in America” and “Chequered Love” to this soulless wannabe torch song? So depressing. So, so, depressing.

The song did get me wondering about the existence of “hate blondes.” I’ve narrowed the candidates down to this fellow and this gal.